1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process for producing thin hot-rolled steel strip with a final thickness of &lt;1 mm from strip-cast feedstock in sequential steps, wherein the solidified feedstock leaving the casting machine is divided into roughed strip lengths, heated in a straight-flow furnace to roll temperature, and then rolled in a reverse-operated tandem Steckel roll line and in an attached finishing train.
2. Description of the Related Art
In prior art processes, the rolling of ferritic and steel strips to thicknesses of approximately 0.7 mm is performed by a continuous operation using rolling machines with a large number of stands and a correspondingly high investment cost. In the prior art, welding machines used to attach the roughed strips to each other to produce an endless strip move with the roughed strip at the entry speed of the roughed strip into the rolling mill so that the end of one roughed strip is attached to the beginning of another roughed strip without stopping production. The use of synchronously movable welding machines also leads to high expenses.